A woman whose son is buried at an Arlington Heights cemetery wants to stop an outdoor movie screening fundraiser on the grounds.

A woman whose son is buried at an Arlington Heights cemetery wants to stop an outdoor movie screening fundraiser on the grounds. (Memory Gardens Cemetery)

Brian L. CoxPioneer Press

Plans for an outdoor community screening of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at an Arlington Heights cemetery Saturday are moving ahead despite an emotional plea from at least one woman with a loved one buried there.

Leyla Durmus said her 21-year-old son Kaya Dikmenli was buried at the cemetery in late 2016. She believes the event dishonors those who are buried there.

“It’s in poor taste and it’s disrespectful,” Durmus said. “I just want it to be stopped. I’m all for fundraisers but not in a cemetery.”

The Indiana Jones film is set to be screened Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in an open area at Memory Gardens Cemetery, 2501 E. Euclid Ave. Proceeds from non-alcoholic drink sales at the event will go to the Arlington Heights Historical Museum.

Durmus of Buffalo Grove said she recently learned of the fundraising event when she saw a flier advertising it at the entrance to the cemetery. The flier invites attendees to bring their own food but prohibits alcoholic drinks.

“Bring your family, friends, blankets and chairs for a fun filled evening under the stars with Indiana Jones,” it reads.

Durmus said she was shocked when she learned the fundraiser was being held in the cemetery where her son is buried.

“I go see my son everyday,” she said. “It’s the only thing that brings me peace. That fact that there’s going to be people having a fun night at the cemetery, that’s ridiculous. It’s disrespectful to the families.”

Leyla Durmus

Leyla Durmus whose son, Kaya Dikmenli, above, is buried at Memory Gardens Cemetery is questioning the decision to hold a movie screening on the grounds.

Memory Gardens Cemetery, which is owned by Dignity Memorial, released a statement saying the movie night is one of many ways the company supports the Arlington Heights community throughout the year.

“In the past when we’ve hosted similar events at other cemeteries in the Chicago area, we’ve received a very positive response from residents and built great relationships in our local community,” an email statement from the company said. “Our intent in hosting these types of events for those with loved ones interred at our cemetery and members of the Arlington Heights community is to serve as a gathering place and to foster a sense of community among Arlington Heights residents.”

Cemetery officials said the movie night is hosted in a field within the cemetery, not where graves or grave markers are located.

“We apologize for any misunderstanding and encourage anyone with concerns to contact us directly,” the statement reads.

Dan Schoeneberg, museum administrator with the Arlington Heights Historical Museum, said he was unaware of the concerns over the fundraiser and also said that the organization wants to be respectful of residents.

He said the cemetery has historical significance in the community, and said there were not any plans to cancel or move the movie event.

“Certainly we have a lot of history contained within the cemetery,” Schoeneberg said. “It is the history of Arlington Heights and the region. We certainly want the community to be part of events that help support and tell the stories of the community.”

Movie screening in cemeteries are not unprecedented. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles famously hosts movie screenings that draw thousands of attendees.

Durmus said she has spoken with other people who are upset about holding the movie night in the cemetery and is holding out hope that the screening will be canceled or moved.

“They didn’t ask the family members, who pay thousands of dollars to make sure our loved ones can rest in peace,” Durmus said.“It’s in very poor taste. There are plenty of parks if you want to do a fundraiser. Why in a cemetery?”